Myanmar: A Special Honeymoon (IPB08)

Mingalabar! Welcome to Yangon, Myanmar.

Upon arrival at Yangon Airport, your private guide and driver are waiting to meet you, holding up a welcome signboard with your names on it and take you directly to your hotel in the downtown. Welcome banner on arrival at the hotel and a welcome cocktail while checking-in. While every effort is made to have your room available upon arrival, check-in time is at 02:00 pm; your room may or may not be ready before this time. Your tour guide will provide additional details regarding your stay, and you will be able to ask any questions you may have.

As a warm welcome, a complimentary bottle of champagne will be ready in your room upon arrival. Your accommodation is the Savoy Hotel, one of Yangon’s most beautiful heritage boutique hotels, its located in a quiet and leafy residential area of Yangon, making it the perfect base for exploring the city or enjoying a relaxing stay. Being positioned in the center of the city makes it ideal for business travelers and tourists alike.

End of the day, you have a chance to enjoy dinner in Le Planteur – one of the most luxurious restaurants before coming back to Yangon hotel.

Overnight in Yangon.
Meals: (_/_/D)

After breakfast at the hotel transfer to Yangon’s Mingaladon Airport for the flight to Bagan (Nyaung Oo). Thousands of ancient stupas and temples in this area make Bagan, one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in Asia. From the 11^th till the 13^th century, when Bagan was the capital of Myanmar, the rulers of constructed huge stupas and temples, many of which are still standing today on the banks of the Irrawaddy River.

Arrive Bagan, a new private guide and driver will pick you up and transfer to the Aureum Bagan Resort – the most luxury and romantic resort in old Bagan. Antiques, artifacts, and local arts uniquely adorn each villa, complementing the majestic ambiance of the resort and its surroundings.

The sightseeing starts with most distinctive pagodas such as Shwezigon Pagoda – the holiest one believed to be enshrined with Buddha tooth and hair; Gubyaukgyi Temple (Wetkyiinn village) – the 13th-century‘ cave temple’ with fine frescoes of scenes from Jakatas; Ananda Temple – one of the masterpieces surviving and remaining in Bagan and considered to be in the Mon architecture style; Thatbyinnyu Temple – the highest building on the Bagan plain.

Enjoy the sunset on the mighty Irrawaddy river by slow cruise.

Come back to the hotel for dinner, a private location on the grounds of an ancient Pagoda in Bagan will be arranged upon our request. We will be surrounded by torches and dinner will be served accompanied by traditional Burmese music and dancing.

Overnight in Bagan.
Meals: (B/L/_)

In the early morning, we take a sunrise Balloon flight over the plains of Bagan for your extraordinary honeymoon! From above looking down, Bagan is beautiful as a watercolor picture. Along two banks of the gentle Ayeyarwady River are small villages hiding in the bamboo trees. The top of golden pagodas glistens under the sunlight. The flight surely gives you an interesting and unheard-of experience of the country of Myanmar.

Come back to the hotel for breakfast, free in the morning.

Our tour guide and driver will pick us up for lunch in the riverside restaurant – Sunset Garden Restaurant

After lunch, we visit the simple Minnanthu village located near central Bagan where you have a chance to meet open and friendly village people who live in typical houses. Their houses are built in the traditional way of Myanmar countryside, with an outdoor living area for sitting, entertaining, working, and sleeping. Life here is so peaceful that you can see the men and women in their work without complaint. This surely will be a memorable image for your journey.

Around the village, we can see some monuments which were built in the latter period such as Tayokepyay Temple, Laymyatnar Temple, Nandaminnya, and Payathonzu temple.

You will love a special sunset with high-tea prepared by our team this day.

Overnight in Bagan.
Meals: (B/L/_)

Transfer to the airport for domestic flight to Heho in Shan State.

Continue by car and enjoy a scenic drive to Pindaya through the picturesque countryside of Shan State. Visit Pindaya’s limestone cave with its maze of chambers displaying more than 8,000 Buddha statues and local handicraft workshops producing Shan Paper made from mulberry bark and traditional umbrellas made from the same paper that is used by monks all around the country.

At these family-owned factories, we have a chance to watch the different stages of the making of the umbrellas, from the making of the rice paper itself, through the carving of the umbrella’s base that is made from bamboo and finally the hand-painting on the umbrella itself. Children will also get to experience first-hand the making of umbrella and really value the amount of time and precision it takes to create these small handicrafts or products.

From Pindaya, take a drive down into the valley to Nyaung Shwe on the edge of Inle Lake and boat to Inle Princess Resort – hidden refuge and gateway to the unique cultural and natural treasures of Inle Lake

Overnight on the lake.
Meals: (B/L/_)

During today’s excursion by boat on picturesque Inle Lake we see the famous leg rowers, the typical floating gardens where fruit and vegetables are grown, local methods of fishing, and village life.  A highlight is often visiting the traditional village of Paukpar, with its neat rows of bamboo houses and where we may be able to stop and visit a family for Shan tea.

In the afternoon, we visit Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the holiest religious site in southern Shan State and the boat construction workshop at Nampan village as well as stopping to see some traditional handicrafts – silk weaving on wooden handlooms in Inpawkon village, a cheroot workshop and a blacksmith shop. Continue by boat to visit Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery (Jumping cats), one of the oldest monasteries on the lake and where inside its large wooden meditation hall and are over 200-year-old ancient Buddha statues. Returning back to the hotel the beauty of the sunset over Inle Lake enchants all visitors.

Overnight on the lake.
Meals: (B/L/_)

After breakfast at the hotel, visit the floating market which is a 5 days rotation market most fascinating to watch the daily life of the minorities and their activities. Continue our excursion by motorized boat to Indein pagoda complex, in the south-west of the lake.

The boat leaves the lake and enters a narrow canal with a beautiful natural environment to continue to a small Pa O tribe village. From the village, follow an old covered path to a 13th-century monastery and the very impressive ruins of hundreds of ancient pagodas, some hidden in the vegetation. The main stupa-area on the top of the hill offers breathtaking views over the surrounding mountains and down to the valley and the lake in the far distance. Return to the resort on the lake and overnight at the hotel.

Overnight on the lake.
Meals: (B/L/_)

Finish your Exclusive Honeymoon Vacation with a relaxing stay on one of Myanmar’s many beautiful beaches.

A short flight from Heho will take us to Ngapali Beach, the most beautiful beach in Myanmar with coconut groves and Treasure island.

Upon arrival at Thandwe Airport, your private driver will greet and transfer you to the Sandoway Resort. Experience the ultimate 5-star luxury, immerse yourself in nature, falling asleep, and waking to the sound of waves and singing birds. 

Free at leisure to enjoy the beach and resort.

Overnight in Ngapali Beach.
Meals: (B/_/_)

Free at our own to visit Ngapali fishing village, Thandwe town, or immerse in scuba diving in the most pristine coves of Bengal Bay.

Overnight in Ngapali Beach.
Meals: (B/_/_)

Free at our own to visit Ngapali fishing village, Thandwe town, or immerse in scuba diving in the most pristine coves of Bengal Bay.

Overnight in Ngapali Beach.
Meals: (B/_/_)

After breakfast, check out and the hotel’s shuttle bus picks you up and transfer to Thandwe airport for a morning flight back to Yangon. The city’s historical colonial and religious influences have survived despite its status as a rising Southeast Asian city, making for a truly unique experience.

Upon arrival, drive back to Savoy Hotel to check in at first. After that, walk through downtown a diverse mix of faded colonial architectures from the British times, and high-rises built by more recent investors. Then, we will visit Sule Pagoda – a religious and historic site, built in the early 3rd century which located in the heart of downtown Yangon.

Late afternoon, visit the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda of Rudyard Kipling fame and one of Myanmar’s most sacred places. The massive bell-shaped stupa is plated with gold and the tip of the stupa is set with diamonds and rubies, sapphires, and topaz – a stunning sight as the sun sets and a most fitting place to begin our trip in this “Golden Land”.

During our evening visit, we join the throng of pilgrims at a special oil lamp lighting ceremony to bless your happy life, an ancient and highly symbolic Buddhist ritual. Observe red-robed monks chant ancient Pali scriptures as more than a thousand oil lamps are lit around the gilded pagoda. Our guide explains the meaning behind the chants, helping you understand the ritual. A truly awe-inspiring spiritual experience.

Overnight in Yangon.
Meals: (B/L/D)

After breakfast a fleet of microbuses and guides will be available outside the hotel for guests who would like to do some last minute shopping or complete their cultural visit of Yangon exploring colonial downtown.

Then take the drive to Mingaladon International Airport to check in on your onward flight.

End of services.

Meals: (B/_/_)

After breakfast at the hotel, proceed to Myinkaba village and observe the process of traditional lacquerware, one of the best–known Myanmar handicraft and a specialty of Bagan. Visit the monuments of Myinkaba village, Gubyaukkhi, an early period Pyu–style temple of Hindu influence with some of the oldest mural paintings in Bagan, Manuha and Nanpaya temples.

Following lunch, you will enjoy an excursion to the countryside village of Minnanthu, the least visited temple area in Bagan. Observe the local farmers‘ way of life together with a visit to some of the most interesting temples such as Payathonzu, with its unusual architecture and Tantric Buddhism influence, Lemyethna and Nandamannya temples.

In the evening, transfer to Nyaung Oo airport for the flight back to Yangon. On arrival in Yangon, transfer to hotel.

Overnight in Yangon
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After breakfast, finish the tour with a visit to downtown Yangon with its faded colonial atmosphere, Sule Pagoda, Mahabandoola Park, India town and bustling Chinatown. In the afternoon, there will be free time for shopping at Bogyoke Market, formerly Scott’s Market before transferring to Mingaladon Airport for onward flight.

Meals: (Breakfast/_/_)